Buhari’s Thoughts On Ndigbo

Buhari’s thoughts on Ndigbo

Last week saw President Muhammadu Buhari wondering why there are secessionist calls in Igboland.

He appeared surprised that some Igbos were pushing the calls when the generality of the people were doing quite well economically in every nook and cranny of the country.

His thoughts have provided fuel for mainstream conversations on the Nigerian project.

Weighing Buhari’s thoughts

On September 9, President Buhari pondered why some Igbos are agitating for separation, saying that it is “unthinkable” for any Igbo not to see himself as a Nigerian.

Speaking at a town hall meeting with South-East leaders during his one-day official visit to Imo State, Buhari said: “The fundamental thing about the Igbo people is that there is no town you will visit in Nigeria without seeing the Igbo being in charge of either infrastructure or pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, it is unthinkable for me that any Igbo man would consider himself not to be part of Nigeria.”

Sure, the President was on point in his assessment of the prime place occupied by Igbos in the country’s socio-economic life.

His puzzling remarks on why the Igbo ethnic group should be more than satisfied and not foment trouble, however, beggars the issue.

First, critics argue that his views fits into the jaundiced narrative being sold to Nigerians that some sections of the country are born to rule while others should simply mind the sectors where they are perceived to dominate.

Secondly, it is also held that it portrays the President as being blinded to the harrowing cries of injustice and inequity across the land which have have given vent to vociferous demands for separation and, oftentimes, clamour for a restructuring of the Nigerian federation.

It might not be totally out of place to posit, therefore, that the President missed a golden opportunity to assuage frayed nerves, as his disposition appears only to caution Ndigbo against demanding good governance, justice and equity.